New FAO Philippines head, Foreign Affairs chief assure continued mutual support at virtual meet
New FAO Representative in the Philippines, Ms Kati Tanninen, and Foreign Affairs Secretary, Teodoro Locsin, Jr, assure each other of continued partnership and support towards realizing a hunger- and poverty-free Philippines.
Newly-installed Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in the Philippines, Ms. Kati Tanninen, called on Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. virtually on 23 March 2021 to officially present her credentials as well as to discuss areas of further collaboration between FAO and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
During the meeting, Secretary Locsin stated that FAO’s technical support has been invaluable in the food security and nutrition aspect of the Government’s COVID-19 response. He specifically cited FAO's assessment of the impacts of the pandemic on food supply chains in the Philippines, which he said will help inform the national government in its COVID-19 interventions to support recovery of the agricultural sector, facilitate effective mobilization of resources towards more sustainable food production systems, and enhance knowledge and capacities of stakeholders.
He also commended FAO’s work and contribution to peace-building initiatives and economic development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). He stated that DFA remains committed to continue its cooperation with FAO in its work in eradicating poverty and hunger in the Philippines and ensuring a healthy, sustainable, and food secure future for its people.
In a tweet, Secretary Locsin said, "My hope is to integrate the inputs of international agencies of such heft as FAO in the Cabinet conversation because the views are not based on anecdote—'from my experience, sir'—but from the field sifted by science. Impressions are good but not enough to make sound policy."
On her part, Ms Tanninen assured the Secretary of FAO’s continued engagement and collaboration with the government in the areas of food security, resilience, climate change, disaster and risk reduction and mitigation, social protection, and agricultural and fisheries productivity, among others. The new FAO Representative also recognized DFA’s important role in coordinating with different agencies and stakeholders as both agencies work towards contributing to the Philippines’ national development goals.